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Volume 6 • Issue No. 6 • APRIL 2016
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A WORD FROM THE EDITOR In a month when many of us will celebrate Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth’s 90th birthday I will also be thinking about another wonderful lady who has had an incredible impact on those who have known and loved her, my husband’s Grandma Ida. Sadly she is no longer with us but I think of her often and invariably find myself smiling when I do. Ida wasn’t just a perfect grandma, she was the life and soul of the party. There are too many stories to recount here, but Daniel often talks about playing Sardines with his then 83-year-old grandma who deviously abandoned the search and hid herself away in the shower, patiently waiting for her grandchildren to realise the game had taken an unexpected turn! Ida was the first older person I ever developed a genuine relationship with and I can honestly say she changed me for the better. She stirred both my curiosity and my respect. Meeting someone who was born 70, 80 or 90 years ago can be fascinating if you take the time to get to know them. In doing so you too will come to appreciate the fact that age in itself is a mark of achievement! Just imagine how many challenges and changes an 80-year-old has encountered and overcome, how many moments of despair and possibly even heartbreak they may have endured. The technological revolution is one of the most significant challenges my generation has encountered. Ida faced and overcame far more serious challenges and still had a twinkle in her eye at 90. Perhaps we need to remind ourselves now and again just how lucky we are (most of the time) and to acknowledge that a lack of interest in or respect for older people speaks volumes about our own character. Enjoy the celebrations and take a moment to consider how you might like to be treated when you ‘are old and grey and full of sleep’ (WB Yeats).
NEWS CAFÉ 66 AT 1st KESGRAVE SCOUT HALL Open every Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 10.30am-1.30pm Café 66 is a Kesgrave based project run by local people. Initially established in 2006 by Kesgrave Community Resource Unit, the café is operated by staff with varying learning disabilities who can enjoy a safe and friendly environment while serving and meeting the local community. The opportunity to engage with the public and to learn new skills in preparing and serving meals under supervision is good for their wellbeing and development and helps them to be as independent as they can be. Volunteers are there to assist but the staff, who range in age from 18 to 55, are encouraged to work on their own as much as possible. Café 66 is open to the general public and has many regular customers who enjoy homemade cakes and light lunches. Staff and volunteers regularly host fundraising activities to keep this exciting project afloat but also to raise funds for charities such as Red Nose Day and Macmillan. Why not pop along to their spring fayre on Friday, April 1, 10am-1.30pm, when in addition to the regular café service you can visit stalls, such as Osborne Books, and enjoy a raffle and tombola among other activities? Kesgrave Scout Hall, Twelve Acre Approach IP5 1JF
Kesgrave In Touch &withRushmere In Touch with Kesgrave & Rushmere is published by:
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NEWS MESSAGE FROM YOUR COUNTY COUNCILLORS: MARCH 2016 Better Broadband for Suffolk A resolution has now been reached between DCMS and the EU which will enable the county council to spend its full £30m of public funding as well as the monies clawed back from the first contract, making a total of £33.9m. This is, however, subject to the county council running a one month public consultation with the market to further ascertain and demonstrate that no commercial plans exist to intervene in the additional areas the council plans to target with the reinvestment. This consultation will run over Easter and will conclude on April 8. After April, the county council can complete the contracting process with BT and BDUK to embed the fully financed rollout plan into the contract, and commence community briefings in the early summer. The county council fully recognises the frustration out in communities regarding the delay, as well as the need for information to be shared as quickly and efficiently as possible. This resolution is a big step forwards, and does not involve actively conducting a full review of coverage with the market, but only consulting on the county council’s plans for reinvestment. Work on the broadband rollout continues as the county council progresses Phase 1 of the Superfast Extension Programme (the second contract). The first phase of rollout will be shared on a map on the SCC website, and the second phase will be added within the next couple of months. To date, the county council has enabled 35 cabinets and reached over 3,000 premises under the Superfast Extension Programme, towards a target of over 1,000 cabinets, and over 50,000 premises by the end of 2019. Children’s Services praised by Ofsted with “GOOD” rating Suffolk County Council’s Children’s Services has been rated GOOD by Ofsted following the publication of its inspection report on February 15. The report praises the work of the council in protecting and looking after children and young people, with some areas of outstanding practice
highlighted in the report. The inspection was carried out between November 23 and December 17 last year. Suffolk now sits in the top 22% of local authorities in the country. Seventy-eight councils have been inspected so far under Ofsted’s new framework. No authority has been judged outstanding and of the last 17 inspections across the country, just one authority had been judged GOOD, until Suffolk’s rating. This is a truly fantastic achievement and demonstrates the value that the council places on supporting the most vulnerable young people in Suffolk. Of course this achievement is testament to all the staff and local community partners who work with the county council on a daily basis. Ofsted praised SCC’s social workers who act quickly to ensure children in care in Suffolk are safe. Feedback indicated that they know children well, understand their needs, visit them often and listen to what they say. Children and their families receive a timely and comprehensive early help service. There is also good support for children that need foster carers or a family through adoption Ofsted’s report goes on to highlight that: “Leaders have a comprehensive understanding of what needs to be achieved and have made sustained progress since the inspection of services for looked after children in 2010 and child protection in 2013, which both were judged to be adequate.” It says: “Suffolk County Council is led by dynamic and capable leaders and managers and is delivering a good service overall to children and their families.” Ofsted also recognises that the authority underpins its services through the adoption of the Signs of Safety framework, an internationally recognised approach to organising and managing casework. Suffolk County Council is one of only a handful of local authorities to fully embed this system into its service and it is clearly bringing positive results. Regards and best wishes, County Councillors Christopher Hudson and Robert Whiting
HOME-START SNOWFLAKE BALL
KESGRAVE HELP CENTRE
Come along to our Snowflake Ball on Friday, May 20 at Milsoms, Kesgrave Hall for a glamorous night of fine dining, music and entertainment. Tickets are £55 to include an arrival drink and three-course meal with entertainment provided by the band Soul Kitchen.
A table top sale was held at Kesgrave Community Centre in February and the centre kindly sponsored our table. We had a very enjoyable and busy morning. Our sincere thanks to Cheryl Tye and Jo Barker who worked so hard to make this successful.
During the evening there will be the chance to win a beautiful cultured white freshwater baroque pearl pendant kindly donated by Woodbridge jeweller Chenevix. Bid for a holiday in the auction as well as many more exciting opportunities.
Now we no longer have our minibus the proceeds donated by the Kesgrave Community Centre will go towards the cost of hiring coaches when we do our outings. We also have to thank Bates Wells & Braithwaite who sponsored us to have a very excellent banner made to promote our charity and coffee mornings. Rhian Snell, a marketing executive with the solicitors, came to visit our volunteers who help at our coffee mornings and also arranged for a write up in the local press. Jo Barker from the community centre was responsible for obtaining this sponsorship – so again our thanks to her.
For tickets or further information please contact: 01473 621104 / office@homestartcoastal.co.uk. You can also book your tickets online at: www.homestarteastsuffolk.org.uk If you are a local business who would like to support this event sponsorship opportunities are available. Please contact: ella@homestartcoastal.co.uk
Sue Snoulten
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OUT & ABOUT WATCHDOG SEEKS VIEWS ON DIABETIC FOOT CARE SERVICES IN SUFFOLK Healthwatch Suffolk is working with a leading Consultant Physician of Diabetes and Endocrinology at the Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust Diabetic Centre to explore local experiences of using diabetic foot care services in Suffolk.
BUS NOTES It was a pleasant surprise one cold morning recently when my bus turned up right on time. It was driven by the same friendly driver who often works that journey. It was in contrast to the two previous trips to that when the bus had turned up 11 minutes late.
Good foot care is essential for people living with diabetes because it can prevent complications caused by high blood glucose levels including damage to nerves and blood vessels. In fact, active foot disease is a leading cause of amputation in the UK.
Now I ask myself, if one driver can run closely to time consistently, why are others always late? I know that buses suffer from roadworks and traffic congestion, but hold-ups due to roadworks are usually only four minutes or so, and traffic causes are random. But 11 minutes late? I suspect the reason is that some drivers just make no attempt to keep to time – except perhaps when it’s the last run of their shift!
That is why Healthwatch is keen to explore whether people at high risk of developing foot disease in Suffolk are receiving appropriate care. It is interested in your experiences about the full range of services that may care for your feet and this includes those accessed in GP practices, hospitals and in the community.
On the other hand, I have been pleased to find lately that buses are starting from Old Cattle Market exactly on time. I wonder if there is a new official in the rest room making sure that drivers go out to their bus in good time to make a punctual departure?
Andy Yacoub, Chief Executive of Healthwatch Suffolk, said:
Happy Wanderer
“Our aim is to ensure that these essential services are shaped by the experiences of people using them. This survey will help us to independently check that patients are receiving the right messages to help them manage their condition and that there is fair and appropriate access to foot care services across the county. If you have diabetes or know someone that does, please take part. It only takes a moment and your views could make a positive difference to care in Suffolk.” To take part, visit: www.surveymonkey.com/r/suffolkdiabetes You can also contact Healthwatch Suffolk on 01449 703949 or by email to info@healthwatchsuffolk.co.uk to request a hard copy survey. This survey will close on April 30, 2016.
KESGRAVE LIBRARY NEWS Sunday Crafts: 10am-noon • Sunday, April 3: Spring is here – make a 3D spring rabbit • Sunday, April 10: Keep losing your page when reading? Create an insect peg bookmark. • Sunday, April 17: Design a colourful owl to pin on your wall • Sunday, April 24: It’s Ninja Turtle time! Make a 3D Ninja Turtle. Activities are free. Parents must stay with under eights. There’s no need to book – just turn up and have a go. BookStart: every Thursday, term time only Free activities for pre-school children and their parents or carers. Why not come along and join Emma every Thursday for songs, rhymes and stories? • Tot Rock: 9.45-10.15am • BabyBounce: 10.30-11am Story Time, every Friday morning in term time, 9.45-10.15am Why not pop along to see Emma and join in with the stories, songs, rhymes and activities? This session is funded by the Library’s Community Group. KESGRAVE LIBRARY REFURBISHMENT AND TEMPORARY CLOSURE Kesgrave Library will be closing for a week in April to enable extensive redecoration to take place. The library will be closed from Monday, April 18 to Friday, April 22 and reopening on Saturday, April 23 at 10am. Customers can use any other library during the closure with Rosehill and Woodbridge libraries being the closest. There is also a mobile service which will visit stops in Rushmere and Martlesham on Tuesday, April 19, and other stops in Rushmere, Playford and Little and Great Bealings on Thursday, April 21. Any library loans due back during the closure will be extended to the following week. Saturday, April 23: World Book Night – all day. We will be handing out some adult fiction books to encourage people back to reading. Maggie Lusher, Kesgrave Library Manager, Kinsey House, Kays Close, Kesgrave Tel: 01473 626103 www.suffolklibraries.co.uk OPENING TIMES Tuesday: 9am-noon, 2.30-5pm Wednesday: 2.30-6pm Thursday: 2.30-8pm Friday: 9am-noon Saturday: 10am-5pm Sunday: 10am-3pm
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OUT & ABOUT EAST SUFFOLK NATIONAL TRUST ASSOCIATION Our next meeting is on April 19 when Veronica Bennett, a volunteer speaker for the National Trust, will be telling us about Felbrigg Hall in Norfolk. Begun in the early 17th century Felbrigg surprises and delights visitors with its architectural variety, wonderful rooms and beautiful garden and woods. We look forward to another of Veronica’s fascinating and insightful talks. May 17 sees the return of one of our regular speakers, Peter Lawrence, with a talk entitled From the Krays to the Crown. Peter is an ex-London policeman and this promises to be a fascinating insight into crime from the 1960s through to the 1980s. As a member of, or a volunteer for, the National Trust, you can get more out of your membership by joining the East Suffolk National Trust Association which meets (September to May) at Kesgrave War Memorial Community Centre (Twelve Acre Approach, Kesgrave IP5 1JF) at 7.15pm. Visitors (even if not National Trust members) are welcome for a £2 entrance fee. National Trust members/volunteers can join the association for £8 per year (£12 per couple at same address). For more information contact our membership secretary – membershipesnta@gmail.com / 01473 723761 – or visit: www.membershipesnta.btck.co.uk
IPSWICH & DISTRICT HISTORICAL TRANSPORT SOCIETY On Wednesday, April 27 Neil Marshall will present an illustrated talk entitled The New Brighton Belle at the Salvation Army Citadel, 558 Woodbridge Road, Ipswich, 7 for 7.30pm. Visitors are welcome to attend (£3.50 including tea/coffee). An annual excursion is also arranged to a place of transport interest, this year to the Great Western Society premises at Didcot. For further details, please contact Mervyn Russen (01473 414746) or Martyn Hunt (01473 422145) or visit: www.idhts.co.uk
ORWELL DECORATIVE AND FINE ARTS SOCIETY Our next meeting is on Wednesday, April 6 when Dr Sam Newton (of Time Team fame) will be telling us all about the Easter Festival in Early England, how significant it was and how it was celebrated. In March lecturer Ian Swankie took the audience through the story of Grayson Perry. With wonderful illustrations Ian recounted how Turner Prize-winning Perry progressed from Chelmsford punk to become a veritable national treasure. His wonderful creations (pots, frocks, tapestries and even a holiday home in Essex) highlight his individualistic take on art. A great lecture about a unique, multi-talented character. Why not come along and enjoy some good company and an interesting talk? We meet at Tower Hall, Broadlands Way, Rushmere St Andrew on the first Wednesday of most months and we also organise interesting day visits. The wonderfully illustrated lectures which are presented by national and international lecturers start at 2.15pm, but we advise people to arrive by 2pm if possible. Guests and non-members are welcome, provided we have available space. A £5 donation is asked. For more information contact Jean Bradberry: 01473 710921 / odfasmemsec@btinternet.com.
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www.orwelldfas.org.uk
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OUT & ABOUT KESGRAVE SOCIAL CLUB WHAT’S ON IN APRIL Our first event of the month is Suffolk County Darts, playing on Saturday and Sunday, April 2 and 3, against Sussex. Spectators welcome for a small fee – come along to see these quality players in action and cheer on our team. On Saturday, April 2 we have Brian Mann playing all the favourites and Foxy Rock are with us on Sunday 3 – learn some new moves and then dance the night away in pleasant company. The heartbeat meeting is on Tuesday 5. All welcome to attend. Our C/W band for the month is on Saturday 9 with Ian Highland, a very well respected artist. We have been trying to get this arranged for over a year so will be well worth the wait. There is a quiz night on Wednesday 13 with teams of four. Come and pit your wits against the resident champions. On Saturday 23 we have Ice Cream Castle, their first time at the club but they come highly recommended and many members have seen them at other venues. Our final artist is the fabulous Pat James on Saturday 30 – ending the month with a bang!
MIKE LEIGH AND TRIANON SHARE PETERLOO CONNECTION On August 16, 1819 a crowd of 60,000-80,000 people gathered in St Peter’s Field, Manchester. They were demanding a reform to parliamentary representation. Organised by the Manchester Patriotic Union, the rally was to be addressed by orator Henry Hunt, but shortly before the rally began the cavalry tried to disperse the crowd. In the resulting confusion it was estimated that 18 protestors were killed and a further 700 were injured in what became known as the Peterloo Massacre. As a native of Manchester and Salford, Mike Leigh was drawn to the story and work will start in 2017 to shoot his new film, Peterloo. Former Trianon president Sir Malcolm Arnold composed his Overture Peterloo for the TUC’s centenary in 1968. The piece will be performed in Trianon’s spring concert, entitled The Presidential Suite, which takes place at Ipswich Corn Exchange on April 16 at 7.30pm. Trianon will also perform its current president John Rutter’s Mass of the Children with the choir of St Albans Catholic High School, as well as music by Tchaikovsky, Dukas and Vaughan Williams. Tickets (£9.50, concessions £8.50, students and U16s £5) can be purchased from: Trianon 01394 283170 / 07876 787029; Ipswich Tourist Information Centre; www.ipswichregent.com / 01473 433100 Tikets purchased from Ipswich Entertainments will be subject to an additional £1 a ticket booking fee. For further details visit: www.tmg.org.uk You can also follow Trianon on Twitter @MusicTrianon
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OUT & ABOUT RINGING THE CHANGES At the weekly Martlesham Country Market a room full of warmth and useful things, lovely treats, edible and otherwise, awaits your visit. William ‘the wood-turner’, Helen ‘Beady’ Evans and knitting supremo Val take turns to bring their unique hand-made offerings throughout the month – and the last week of April is Pie Week. Do drop in and admire the pies: you can buy one to support the cause. There is always a mouth-watering choice on the food counter, from biscuits and cakes to pastries, savouries and quiches, many in handy small portions. The new season’s marmalade, fruit preserves, jellies and jams vie with Wan Sung’s dangerously hot chilli jam, all locally made by our artisan cooks. See delightful indoor plants and hand-painted pots, local eggs, cards and beaded jewellery, so-soft fleece mittens, hats and scarves to fit all sizes, lovely crochet-work, hand-finished bags, and musttouch wooden bowls: a good source of gifts at a sensible price. Kesgrave Country Market continues at the monthly Community Market, 9am-12.30pm, with two tables of locally-made crafts and home-baked goods at the Scout Hut every third Saturday of the month. Now you know where we are and when we’re open, come and see what you fancy, collect your orders and enjoy a refreshing cuppa among friends. Remember the weekly Tuesday morning market at Martlesham Pavilion, behind the Douglas Bader pub, 9.15-11.15am. Find us on Facebook: Kesgrave Country Market / Martlesham Heath Country Market
ARE you planning a wedding? Kesgrave Community and Conference Centre is holding a Spring Wedding Fayre on Sunday, May 8, 11am-3pm. With more than 30 wedding experts exhibiting, you will be able to talk to florists, bespoke caterers, the photographers who can capture those special moments just for you and everyone else that you could possibly need to help plan and organise your special day. The fayre will also be supporting St Elizabeth Hospice with a tombola and the opportunity for one lucky couple to win a dream wedding. So whether you are looking for inspiration for your wedding day or just want to make sure you haven’t forgotten anything, there’s no better place to be than Kesgrave Community and Conference Centre on Sunday, May 8. For more information about forthcoming events at KWMCC or to make an appointment to view the venue for your wedding, business or private function, please email: jo@kwmcc.co.uk Additional Casual Badminton Session Due to the continued success of the casual badminton sessions on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, KWMCC are pleased to announce that a new Monday session has been added. The sessions are term time from 11am-1pm in the sports hall. £2 per person per session, no booking required. Simply turn up, pay and play.
IPSWICH COUNTRY MARKET YOUR MARKET NEEDS YOU! Are you a keen gardener who has more plants or produce than you can use? If so your country market needs you! You could join us and find an outlet for your surplus produce. Our customers appreciate home grown items and we would like to welcome some new members to fulfil this need! Our logo says ‘COOK, CRAFT, GROW’. If you like to do any of those and would like to be part of a local cooperative, please get in touch. Each week we have a tempting selection of sweet and savoury bakes (including gluten free), pickles preserves and marmalades and local honey. We sell seasonal plants and garden produce, freshly picked. You will also find a wide range of craft items on offer, all locally made by our skilled crafters. You can find our more about the market on our Facebook page (Ipswich Country Market) and at: www.ipswichcountrymarket.co.uk We are open from 10.15-11.30am on Thursday mornings at Rushmere Village Hall on Humber Doucy Lane. There is plenty of free parking, a warm welcome, and home baked refreshments too. We offer a free tea or coffee on your first visit so come and see what we can tempt you with. If you haven’t been for a while, come and see what we’re up to and give us your feedback.
For further information on all activities visit: www.kwmcc.co.uk
MARTLESHAM BRASS Making music fun in East Anglia Please join us on April 16 at 7pm in St Michaels Church Centre, Martlesham Heath, when our main band presents a concert featuring movie and TV themes. Tickets are £3.50 each (primary school age children free), and are available from www.martleshambrass.co.uk, 2nd Stop Charity Shop (next to Tesco in Kesgrave) or by calling 07802 868924. Sadly, we have had to temporarily close our waiting list to new inquiries for players with no experience of playing a brass instrument., but would still like to hear from experienced players. Publicity Officer Liz Howard: e_m_howard@talk21.com / 01473 625617 www.martleshambrass.co.uk
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OUT & ABOUT SUNDAY AFTERNOON CONCERTS AT ST ANDREW’S, RUSHMERE The spring series of Sunday Afternoon Concerts at St Andrew’s Church, Rushmere St Andrew begins on April 17 with music arranged for the unusual but delightful combination of four flutes, performed by the ensemble Flutes Alors!. On April 24 tenor Stephen Lawrence and pianist Joe Conway will giving a recital of songs by Fauré, Quilter, Ivor Novello and others alongside original piano music by Joe Conway. Both concerts start at 3pm and last approximately an hour. Admission is £6 (or £24 for all five concerts in the series, which continues until May 15), including delicious homemade refreshments. Under 18s are admitted free of charge. For full programme details visit: www.rushmerestandrews.wordpress.com/concerts
GIPPESWYK SINGERS SPRING CONCERT AN ENGLISH THEME A concert of gloriously uplifting music to celebrate Passiontide and the coming of spring is being presented by the Gippeswyk Singers on Saturday, April 9 at St John’s Church, Orwell Road, Felixstowe at 7.45pm. Geoff Lavery conducts a lovely programme which includes choral pieces by Parry and Stanford, culminating in a very special performance of Haydn’s magnificent Nelson Mass featuring the sparkling virtuosity of four young professional soloists and the nationally acclaimed organist, Andrew Cantrill. Tickets (£10) are available at the door or from Phil Speirs, 2 Treetops, Felixstowe IP11 9ER (please send a SAE with a cheque payable to Gippeswyk Singers). Profits from this season’s concerts go to local charities Got to Read (providing one-on-one help for adults needing to improve literacy and numeracy skills) and Home-Start (providing home help volunteers for families in need of support). Drinks and nibbles will be available after the concert with the opportunity to meet the singers.
KESGRAVE WI Kesgrave WI continues to flourish with yet more new members joining us at our March meeting – but there is always room for more. Our speaker was Dan Wheal who spoke on herbal medicine. Dan introduced us to a variety of traditional remedies using a wide variety of plant and plant extracts, many of which we had all heard of in our youth. Those brave enough tried herbal teas, cough mixture and a chocolate and rose ‘rescue’ type remedy. There were a wide variety of herbal products available to purchase. His light-hearted amusing approach was much appreciated by all members. Our monthly competition was an old family remedy. This was well received with many entries. Dan had a difficult time judging them but ended up choosing the one supplied by Jo Bradley. Jo’s winning remedy was as follows: ALL STITCHED UP My great grandma was a herbalist in the hamlet of Culpho during the 1800s. At the end of every October she would spread goose fat from neck to waist on her six children and stitch them up in red flannel until spring. The aroma must have been awful, but the remedy worked. Her children, including my grandfather, all lived healthily into their 90s. Great Grandma died two days before her 100th birthday. After coffee Delcie gave a report from the Suffolk East Federation meeting held at Trinity Park earlier in the day. Attended by 800 women, the main speaker was Colin Alderson, former head pastry chef to the Royal household. Members were given details of planned trips to Brick Lane Concert Hall, East London, East Ruston Gardens, Norfolk and our annual visit to The Hut at Felixstowe in July for our fish and chip lunch and a paddle in the North Sea.
www.gippeswyksingers.co.uk
Our next meeting is at Kesgrave Community Centre at 7.15pm on Thursday, April 7, when our speaker will be Jason Salisbury from Suffolk Cheeses and the competition will be six cheese straws made from a provided recipe. Visitors are very welcome to join us.
CONCERT IN AID OF FAMILY SUPPORT GROUP
For further information please call the secretary, Di Chilver: 01473 611415
A concert in support of Home Start East Suffolk will take place in Woodbridge Community Centre on Sunday, April 10, at 2.30pm, where the Community String Orchestra and guest choir Tutti Frutti Voices will present While in Music and Verse, a varied programme of orchestral and choral music by Vivaldi, Tchaikovsky, Shostakovich, Purcell, and Gershwin.
IPSWICH BRANCH, SUFFOLK FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY
The conductor is Andrew Fairley and the choir leader is David Lewis. Tickets costing £8 are available on the door or in advance from the Box Office on 01394 279005. Home-Start East Suffolk support families in the East Ipswich and Suffolk Coastal areas for whom the pressures of family life have become too great to cope with alone. This can be for many different reasons such as: poverty, physical or mental health problems, isolation, drug or substance misuse, bereavement and many more. Home-Start matches each family to a trained volunteer, who builds a trusted relationship with them, offering them a professional friendship enabling them to grow in confidence, strengthen their relationships with their children, improve their health and well-being and widen their links locally. Also see HOME-START SNOWFLAKE BALL on page 6
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Thursday, April 28, 7.30pm: The World of the Heir Hunter – A Lifetime Challenge by Maurice Clarke Maurice will talk about what a heir hunter/probate researcher is and where they fit into the world of intestacy, i.e. where a person dies without a will and with no obvious next of kin. Maurice founded the Heir Hunters Association in 2009 to help people become heir hunters and it has grown into a vast international organisation. He edits a monthly newsletter and helped found The Federation of Probate and Asset Researchers Ltd (www. fpar.org.uk), a non-profit organisation concerned with standards and professionalism within the probate industry. We meet at The Co-Op Education Centre, 11 Fore Street, Ipswich IP4 1JW. The pedestrian entrance is at 11 Fore Street and the car park entrance is on Waterworks Street IP4 1JG. Admission is £3 for society members and £3.50 for non-members who are warmly welcomed. For more information contact Howard King: 01473 274300
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OUT & ABOUT OVER THIRTIES AND OTHERS
MARTLESHAM HEATH AVIATION SOCIETY
Firstly, I would like to thank those who supported the IMI (Institute Of The Motor Industry) annual charity fundraiser at the Cameo Hotel in Copdock on Saturday, March 5. Money was raised for the motor trade’s own national charity known as BEN, plus donations will be made to two local causes – The Woolverstone Wish Appeal and local Marie Currie Nurses. An enjoyable evening was had by all.
We were delighted to welcome Steve Atkin of The Hangar 11 Collection based at North Weald Airfield in Essex on Friday, March 4. His talk, to another full audience, was about four pristine Second World War ‘warbirds’ (a Hurricane, Spitfire, P51 Mustang and American Kittyhawk), opening our eyes to the incredibly meticulous work done to keep these planes in tip-top condition.
The next local function on the calendar will be Saturday, May 7 at Kesgrave Social Club where Rodders will be entertaining with music from the 60s to the 90s. Non-members are very welcome and can just turn up and pay on the door.
In all cases the planes have been virtually rebuilt from the tyres up... not surprising since all were built in the early to mid 1940s. Steve showed how this was done, with a look at (among other things) the paint schemes that have been applied and the hunt for spare parts. The Kittyhawk required a refurbished Allison engine. Steve went on a trip to an engine refurbishing firm in the Mojave Desert in Western USA, and was amazed to see what they are doing and just how many refurbished vintage engines they have. He showed us images of these and the huge site and we were similarly impressed. There will certainly never be a shortage of Merlin and similar engines while this firm is in operation. Unsurprisingly the planes mentioned, in full flying condition, can fetch up to £2m each.
Anybody looking for mid-week entertainment can see Curt n Rod on Thursday, May 5 at the Truck Stop-Orwell Crossing. Meals are available and the music starts at 8.30pm and goes through to 11.30pm. There is no charge on the door. Curt n Rod will be playing at Felixstowe Royal British Legion on Friday, May 20 and non-members are also welcome, so please come along and support the Legion and all the good work it does. Still trying to sort out a date and venue for an Over Thirties Dance. Will advise as and when. For further information on the above contact Keith: 01473 624538
MARTLESHAM WI If you are looking for a WI that meets in the afternoon rather than the evening, or if you are looking for a smaller group where its easy to get to know one another and make friends, then Martlesham WI could well be the one for you. We usually meet on the third Friday of the month for a convivial get together, with competitions, a second-hand book table and interesting and amusing speakers, followed by refreshments. Outside of this, we have a monthly lunch club where we try out various local hostelries and have several outings planned for this year, although we’d love more suggestions. Plus, it’s our 70th birthday in August so our party planner hats are very much on. Our next meeting is on Friday, April 15, 2.15-4.15pm, at Martlesham Heath Pavilion (next to St Michael’s Church). Our speaker will be Chris Parfitt who will present an illustrated talk entitled Himalayan Journey – Darjeeling, Sikkhim and Bhutan If you would like to try us out you would be made very welcome. Please either just turn up on the day or give me a call if you’d like further details.
Steve then talked about how these aircraft are made ready for the busy display season, starting shortly. This was a fascinating talk, given by a knowledgeable and enthusiastic and friendly speaker. Our next talk at Martlesham Heath Community Centre takes place at 7.30pm on Friday, April 1, when Diana Patten presents Redhead in the Clouds about her life as an adventurous lady pilot, a member of a flying family, who took part in Kings Cup Air Races, flew around Africa in a light aircraft and founded her own airfield, Headcorn in Kent. Turn up and pay on the door. Finally. I remind readers that Martlesham Heath Control Tower Museum reopens on Sunday, April 3 from 2-5pm and every Sunday thereafter until Sunday, October 30. It is located behind Parkers Place, off Eagle Way IP5 3UX. Admission by donation. Special group visits by arrangement. For more information call Howard on 01473 274300 or visit: www.mhas.org.uk
WHAT’S COOKING AT DEBEN ROTARY?
Hilli Thompson shares over five decades of her artistic life in an eclectic exhibition entitled A Wonderful Life at The Frame Workshop, Gallery 22 Nicholas Street, Ipswich IP1 1TJ from Wednesday, March 30 to Saturday, April 23 (open Monday-Saturday).
The district final of the Rotary Young Chef competition took place on February 27 at Suffolk One Sixth Form College in Ipswich. The finalists were all from Rotary District 1080, and the senior judge, Peter Senior, also known as the Master Chef of Melton, was a member of Woodbridge Deben Rotary Club. An extremely high standard was evident in all the dishes produced, and one of the two winners was Richard Mayhew of Farlingaye High School. Richard will now go on to the regional final in Harlow in April, and we wish him all the best.
The exhibition includes explorations in a wide range of media from embroidery, botanical illustration, print making, painting and more recently, fused glass.
The college also hosted the district final of Youth Speaks where teams of young people aged 11 to 17 spoke eloquently on subjects as diverse as: Is technology affecting our health? and Feminism: a dirty word?
June Parkin: 01473 625382
A WONDERFUL LIFE An exhibition of works of art by Hilli Thompson
MEMORY CAFÉ The February session of the Memory Café was particularly successful and we were pleased to welcome several new visitors. A reminder that the café welcomes all dementia sufferers and their carers and takes place at Woodbridge Football Club on the last Wednesday of every month. Our next sessions are on March 30 and April 27. If you would like to know more about this or any aspects of Rotary please contact Rotarian Martin Kenyon: 01394 386933
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OUT & ABOUT ROTARY CLUB OF WOODBRIDGE Congratulations to Rotarians David Houchell and Robin Pivett on receiving The Paul Harris Award for Exceptional Service to Rotary. The Paul Harris Fellowship originally acknowledged individuals who contributed, or who have contributions made in their name, of US$1,000 to The Rotary Foundation to help fund Rotary programmes around the world. This still remains a criteria, but in more recent years it has also come to be associated with Rotarians who have given exceptional service. David and Robin fill both criteria. DAVID HOUCHELL
(r-l) Robin Pivett, Nigel Barratt and President David Houchell
David has a long history in community service within Woodbridge – Round Table, 41 Club and a member of Woodbridge Rotary Club for 22 years. David attended the Abbey and Woodbridge Schools and is still very much involved in the Old Woodbridgian Association. He was made a Freeman of the town of Woodbridge a short while ago in recognition of his services to the town.
David was president of this club in 2010-11 and served for many years as chairman of the fundraising committee. Since the turn of the millennium the club has raised approaching a quarter of a million pounds for good causes, and while by no means all down to David, it is certain that his untiring efforts have ensured that recent years have seen great successes in this area. There are too many fundraising projects to mention, but as a keen golfer, the annual Rotary Charity Golf Day certainly attracts a lot of people for a hugely enjoyable day as well as raising significant funds, and is largely down to his energy. When the Woodbridge Carnival was resurrected recently and he offered his and the club’s services, there must have been a sense of déjà vu, as he was part of organising the carnival in the 1980s with Round Table. ROBIN PIVETT Robin became a member of Woodbridge Rotary in 2004 so while he can only boast half David’s service he had crammed a lot into those years. Robin first came to Woodbridge’s attention as its community policeman and has worked for Suffolk Police both as an officer and as part of the civilian staff for 37 years. For the last few years with the police service he has concentrated on substance abuse, serving with distinction as the Substance Misuse Officer on the District Community Service and Vocation Committee. In this capacity he has helped raise awareness around the 70 clubs in the district, visiting and talking to many of them. In the Woodbridge Club, we remember Robin as the 2013-14 president, but more importantly for the huge efforts he puts in both for the community and our own social calendar (let’s remember the Tower of London visit, organised almost singlehandedly by Robin), as well as fundraising. There are lots that could be mentioned in this latter regard, but the most successful must be his latest project, raising around £7,500 almost singlehandedly for the Woolverstone Project to provide a state of the art chemotherapy centre at Ipswich Hospital. Possibly the best story around Robin’s community service was in 2008 when his home in Kesgrave became a temporary depositary of 40 bags of rubbish. Volunteers from the club had given up their free time to support the Keep Suffolk Tidy fortnight, but in attempting to leave it at Foxhall Waste centre were told it was the “wrong type of waste”. Robin looked after it until SCC applied a little common sense. Chairman Nigel Barratt, Helen Glenholmes and Rotarian Robin Pivett
Please join with me in acknowledging these two members as we offer them recognition as Paul Harris Fellows, and may they continue to thrive and contribute for many years to come.
MARTLESHAM LADIES CLUB Our bring and buy evening in February raised £70.25 for our chosen charity. This year we are supporting the Felixstowe Mencap Saturday morning drop-in centre for children with learning difficulties. These meetings provide planned activities which help improve the children’s social skills and also provide a much-needed respite for their parents and siblings.
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We have two meetings planned for April. On April 14 John Read is giving a talk entitled The History of Soap
and Soap Powders and on April 28 Joan Bostock will tell us about Home Start – a charity which works with young people. The first meeting in May is a talk by Paula Juster about the dump and recycling, just in time for spring cleaning. All ladies are welcome to these friendly meetings which are held on alternate Thursday evenings at 7.30pm in the Richards Room. To find out more ring Doreen Boar: 01473 622768
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OUT & ABOUT U3A MOVES INTO SPRING U3A (The University of the Third Age) hopes that the many recent visitors to the talks and website are finding the information inspiring and have now joined in with some of the many groups that flourish in the East Suffolk area. At the last count there were more than 145 groups with several additions in the pipeline. Whether you wish to learn something new or brush up on talents you thought you had left behind when there were so many other claims to your time, U3A could be that breath of fresh air for the future. Come and join in the Kesgrave U3A talks which take place at 2pm in Kesgrave Community Centre, Twelve Acres Approach, Bell Lane, Kesgrave IP5 1JF. The number 66 bus from Ipswich and Martlesham passes the centre around every 20 minutes. Refreshments follow the meeting.
CRAFTERS UNLIMITED We meet on the fourth Thursday of each month in Rushmere Village Hall, 7.30-10pm. We are a craft club for people who like to try different crafts in a lighthearted atmosphere with refreshments.
On Monday, April 25, Juliet Dearlove will be telling the story of the family who took a year out to sail to the Carribean in a talk entitled Atlantic Children.
Our next meetings are:
U3A members and visitors would also be welcome to attend talked at Felixstowe, Saxmundham and Woodbridge. The campus co-ordinators at these locations will be delighted to give visitors more details of how to join U3A, an organisation for retired and semi-retired people. For information on venues, dates and subjects call 01473 273395 or visit: www.u3aeastsuffolk.org.uk
Thursday, April 28: Needle Felting (Emma)
Spring is a good time to decide on new activities whether they be music, reading, poetry, history or outdoor activities such as petanque, walking or something with less exercise like a social lunch club. U3A can be a good starting point for everyone.
Thursday, March 24: Beaded Bracelet (Jill)
The 2016 monthly projects list is now available and other projects are always available. New members always welcome. For more details contact Jill (01473 713534) or Emma (01787 373850).
LIONS CLUB OF WOODBRIDGE & DISTRICT We have had an encouraging response to the launch of the Young Leaders programme for 2016, with a number of young people expressing an interest in taking part in community activities. There is still time to join the programme, so if anyone between the ages of 12 and 18 is interested, please call Lion Pat Carter on 01473 614728 for a no-obligation chat about the scheme and the recognition we can offer. Our programme of events for the summer is taking shape, with another of our popular art shows, helping at Woodbridge Horse Show, litter picking as part of the Suffolk Coastal Spring Clean and our now famous Duck Dive at Woodbridge Regatta. On the social side, we look forward to an event to mark the handover to incoming officers in late June and celebrating our 34th anniversary later in the year. At a number of events we will be promoting the Lions’ Message in a Bottle, a simple way to ensure that medical details such as allergies, medication and long-term health conditions are readily accessible by paramedics in the event of an emergency. A simple idea, but potentially a lifesaver. We heard recently of an elderly resident in a care home who collapsed and fell into a coma; nobody was aware that he suffered from diabetes, but thankfully this was recorded in a Message in a Bottle and paramedics were able to treat him appropriately with the minimum of delay. If you or someone you know might benefit from this scheme, please don’t hesitate to give us a call: 0845 8332820
MARTLESHAM HISTORY SOCIETY The next meeting is on Monday, April 11 when Paul Constantine will present a talk about Sutton Hoo Longship Reconstruction Project. This heritage project is based on the redeveloped site of the former Whisstock’s Boatyard in Woodbridge. The talk will cover the Sutton Hoo Mound 1 ship itself, its significance in Scandinavian boatbuilding, and the relevance of such boats to the Anglo-Saxon migration. Recent developments with the replica longboat Sae Wylfing will also be discussed. Meetings are held at the Pavilion on Martlesham Heath at 7.30pm. The admission fee is £2.50 and meetings are open to all.
www.keepingintouchwith.com/kesgrave
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OUT & ABOUT INNER WHEEL CLUB OF WOODBRIDGE
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The Inner Wheel Club of Woodbridge would like to thank all those who supported our recent charity quiz. Twenty-two teams competed on the night with team ‘Wheel Meet Again’ emerging the eventual winners. Including the proceeds from the raffle a grand total of £1,054 was raised for the East Anglian Air Ambulance. Thanks are also due to club member Deirdre Griffin and husband Tom for organising the event, setting the questions and ensuring everything ran smoothly. District 8 chairman, Catherine Forsdike, was the speaker at our March meeting. Catherine was made aware of Rotary in her youth through family connections and held several positions within Inner Wheel before becoming district chairman. She has an impressive CV having had a career in nursing and midwifery and is also an ordained priest. It was easy to understand why she has been dubbed ‘Superwoman’ by those who know her. During her working life Catherine had experience of working with those experiencing mental health issues and has chosen to support MIND during her year in office. To raise money for this charity she has set herself Cath’s Challenge. Each Inner Wheel Club she visits is asked to donate 3lbs of fruit which she makes into jams, preserves and chutneys. These are sold at district events and club meetings and the jars on sale were quickly snapped up, demand exceeding availability. Catherine was given a presentation pack of Tidemill flour with a recipe book as a memento of her visit. Our club is currently collecting haberdashery items for Tools with a Mission (TWAM) and donations of tinned food, squash and a ride on toy were collected for Lighthouse Women’s Refuge to mark International Women’s Day on March 8. For more information about Inner Wheel please visit: www.woodbridgeinnerwheel.org.uk
SPEAK EASY AT MARTLESHAM
We put our money where our mouth is, so to speak, and give talks outside our club meetings. An invitation led to us giving a talk on a rural theme to a local club. We set our agenda and included a 15-minute speech which I gave on Carriage Driving in East Anglia, which seemed suitable. Having such a short time was a problem, as was choosing only 10 photographs for the slide show, but I rehearsed and refined it over about 10 days until I was happy. Then someone suggested I take some props, so I found a brass ornamented driving bridle and decided to wear my tweedy jacket and favourite hat to get into character. Our audience was friendly, attentive and most appreciative on the night, asking interested questions. Over a cup of tea afterwards, one lady said she was named after a horse. I asked the obvious question… “Molly – she was his favourite horse! I was supposed to be Ruth but he was sent to register my birth and he called me Molly.” I love Suffolk! Visit Speak Easy at Martlesham to find out more about public speaking: Thursdays, April 7 and 21, 7-9.30pm, Richards Room, Felixstowe Road, Martlesham IP12 4PB or call Sonya Burrows on 07968 372563. Guests and refreshments are free. www.speak-easy.org.uk
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OUT & ABOUT ORWELL PROBUS CLUB
DEBEN FLOWER CLUB QUIZ NIGHT
We meet at Rushmere Golf Club on the second Thursday of each month for lunch, usually followed by a speaker.
Deben Flower Club is holding a quiz night on Saturday, April 23 in Kirton Church Hall, Church Lane, Kirton IP10 0PU, 7 for 7.30pm. Once again this will be a light-hearted fun evening and will include a ploughman’s supper.
What is Probus? Probus clubs provide an opportunity for active retired or semi-retired gentlemen to attend regular meetings and enjoy the camaraderie of likeminded people who appreciate similar interests. Some Probus clubs are for men only, as we are, others are for ladies and some mixed. We have social events, for example, a recent Burns Supper, outings and holidays which, of course, include spouses, partners and friends. If you think Orwell Probus Club could be for you, please contact our secretary, Brian Ling, for further details: 01473 464743 / brian.ling47@gmail.com
KALGA Kesgrave Allotment and leisure Gardening Association April is the traditional ‘let’s go for it!’ month on the allotment. We have had a late cold spell in winter this year, but hopefully we will now start to feel the benefit of the lengthening days and warm sunshine. Beware there is always a price to pay with the threat of hard, night frosts never far away. We can cautiously continue with planting out the seed potatoes (I’ll be pleased to move all those trays of potatoes chitting out of my kitchen), but be prepared to cover the emerging shoots of the earlies with soil if a frost is forecast. We can complete the planting of onion sets and carry on making successional sowings of beetroot, carrots, parsnips, lettuce, spinach, spring onions, radish, turnips and early peas. At home sow runner beans, sweet corn, courgettes, pumpkins, squashes and cucumber seeds under glass or in indoors pots and trays. It’s a busy time, but enjoyable, with the promise of your homegrown vegetables later on. So come and join us if you don’t already have an allotment as we have a few available. If you are interested, contact Angela, our membership secretary: 01473 612283 / angsan.brown@yahoo.co.uk We offer starter plots (for those who would like to try growing their own without over-committing themselves) or half and whole plots. For more information about KALGA and the allotments and to join our forum visit: www.kesgrave-allotments.org.uk Jo Bennett
BEALINGS ANNUAL PLANT SALE Saturday, April 23, 10am-noon – Bealings Village Hall, IP13 6LJ With an entry fee of just £1, there will be the usual vast array of plants including perennials, shrubs and vegetable plants to delight gardeners and stalls with produce, cakes and fruit to delight everyone. In aid of Great and Little Bealings Churches, the sale has become a major event in the annual Bealings calendar. There will be a raffle with great prizes and refreshments will be served all morning.
Join in the fun and bring along a team of six. If you don’t have six people for your team you may be able to share a table with other club members. Tickets need to be purchased in advance and are £6.50 each including supper. Please bring your own drinks and glasses. For further information and tickets contact: 01394 411422 / wa@sandlings.co.uk
PORTAL WOODLANDS CONSERVATION GROUP On a windy Sunday morning in February, the Nature Explorers had the task of checking the bird boxes for the bird box survey, and also doing any necessary maintenance. We cleared Memorial Bird Boxes, out the old nests and made the boxes nice and by S Corley clean for the new spring bird families to nest in. Our two new memorial bird boxes, put up by the Nature Explorers on the same day, commemorate the lives of our friend Katie Webb, a volunteer and committee member who sadly passing away at just 21, and Ina Staines, the late mother of Richard Staines, another of our volunteers. Because of the impending high winds, all this had to be done in a shorter time than usual for health and safety reasons as all the boxes have to be reached by ladder. We found that 19 of the 36 bird boxes had been inhabited, mostly by blue tits. A squirrel is currently still living in the owl box. The Explorers joined the work party and we cleared the dirt and dead leaves off the perimeter track. Who needs to go to the gym for a work out? Six red deer were spotted on February 19 by hawk-eyed Duncan Sweeting. They passed through the woods and went down the Western Corridor towards the Autovon Communications Centre on Foxhall Road. Dates for your diary Sunday, April 3: Nature Watch Club, 9-11am (5-11 years). Please book a place via the email address below. Sunday, April 17: Volunteer Work Party, 10am-noon. All welcome – come and join us. Saturday, May 21: Nature Explorers, 9-11am (11-18 years) New volunteers for the work party and members for Nature Watch Club and Nature Explorers are always welcome. For further information please contact us at pwcg.martlesham@gmail.com, 01473 612632 or visit: pwcg.onesuffolk.net Chloe King – Publicity Officer and Nature Explorer
A very special offer has come in and will be raffled separately – a flight experience in a small light aeroplane, a Piper PA28 Warrior, which will be piloted by a qualified pilot. The flight will last about an hour and transport to the airport is included. This would make a wonderful present for someone special – or for yourself! We look forward to seeing all our regular supporters as well as welcoming new ones. The children’s playground at the back of the hall is ideal for the children to let off steam and you will find good parking facilities Further information from: 01473 735565
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SPORT / SCHOOLS KESGRAVE AND NORTHGATE KARATE CLUB Kesgrave, Northgate and Associated Clubs enjoyed a fantastic presentation evening on Saturday, January 9 to celebrate the clubs’ many successes over the past year, with more than 130 club members and their families attending. A huge thank you to Heather Lawson and all her helpers for organising the event and of course to Bill Williams and all our brilliant instructors, without whom such an event wouldn’t be happening at all. The following students received awards for their efforts over the past year.
Amelia Clow, Amy Byford, Dylan Barnes, Georgina Lawson, Harry Witmore, Jack Rowland, Jessica Etherington, Lewis Martin, Oscar Hunt, Ruby Beales, Ruby Hunt, Sofia Standring, Thomas Humphries
Kesgrave Student of the Year went to Jack Rowland, Most Improved Student of the Year to Sophia Standring and Best Beginner to Lilly Melton. Northgate Student of the Year went to Oscar Hunt, Most Improved Student of the Year to Amelia Clow and Best Beginner to Cameron Fulcher. In Bury St Edmunds, Student of the Year was Jessica Etherington, Most Improved Student of the Year went to Ruby Beales and Best Beginner was Chloe Campbell. The Team Kata Award went to Lucy Linnasi, Sophie Swann and Amy Byford, the Paired Kata Award to Sofia Standring and Amelia Clow and the Individual Kata Award to Dylan Barnes.
Rhekia Turner, T J Turner, Teliah Turner
The Northgate Red Dragons Student of the Year was Harry Witmore, Most Improved Student of the Year went to Jeremie Guy and the Best Beginner Award went to Jessica Collinson The Kesgrave Red Dragons Student of the Year was Freddie Brow, Most Improved Student of the Year, Akshar Bezgone and Best Beginner was James Simpson. Well done to all of you and to all club members who make our clubs such enjoyable places to train! We also congratulate Georgie Lawson who was selected to represent England at the European championship in Cyprus in February. February saw Georgie Lawson competing in the European Junior, Cadet and U21 Championships in Cyprus and is now seventh in Europe in her class of 54+kg. A big well done to Georgina for all her hard work and achievements and many thanks to our sponsors M+C Diesels, IS Electricals, Austwick Berry and Chris Clow whose generosity in sponsoring the club means that we are able to support club members with competition entry fees.
Steve Holland with students past and present: Adam Wreford, Alex Hunt, Amelia Clow, Archie Taylor, Callum Evans, Christopher Sapsed, Dylan Barnes, Freddie Brown, Harry Witmore, Jack Rowland, Jeremie Guy, Jessica Collinson, Lewis Martin, Matthew Wreford, Oscar Hunt, Ruby Hunt, Samuel Tolputt, Sofia Standring, Steve Holland, Thomas Humpries, Tom Witmore
Instructors: Adam Wreford, Chris Stott, Christopher Sapsed, Georgina Lawson, Gillian Wreford, Justin Hunt, Oscar Hunt, Sophie Swann, Steve Holland
Don’t forget that classes are held in and around Kesgrave and Ipswich throughout the week – so there’s no excuse for not being able to make a session. Classes are on a Tuesdays at Heath School and on Thursdays at Gorseland Primary. Both classes start at 6pm for Red Dragons and then run from 6.30-7.30pm for juniors and adults. Kata class is on Saturday mornings from 10am-noon at All Saints Church Hall and there are also two classes at Northgate Sports Centre - one on Wednesday evenings 7-8pm and the other on Sunday mornings 11am-noon. The Red Dragons Class runs along side the junior and adult class from 11-11.30am. If you think this is the year to introduce something new into your life, come along and give karate a try. The first class is free and you only pay for those that you attend. For further information visit www.northgate-karate.co.uk or our Facebook page. We look forward to seeing you in 2016. Eleanor Legg
APRIL AT TOYS ‘N’ NOISE Toys ‘N’ Noise is a group for babies and pre-schoolers and their mums or carers that meets every Thursday in term-time at Rushmere Village Hall, Humber Doucy Lane, from 1.45pm-3pm. The first session after the Easter holiday is on Thursday, April 14. The beginning of a new term is a good time to try a new group and we try to be a very welcoming, friendly group.
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As the days get warmer we look forward to possibly being able to use the garden. But if not, the hall is always well heated and there is plenty to do inside. There is a drink and a biscuit for the children, then one for the adults too. We don’t charge a set fee, but welcome a small donation. The aim of the group is to provide a lovely fun group for local babies and toddlers and a welcoming place for their adults. This is just one of the activities that Rushmere Christian Fellowship runs in the community.
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SCHOOLS MARTLESHAM AND KESGRAVE PLAYSCHOOLS Thursday, April 21 at 6pm will see the first of the Community Twilight Walks in aid of Martlesham and Kesgrave Playschools. The circular walk will start at Martlesham Playschool in Deben Avenue and along the way there will be fun activities for children and adults to take part in. Each walking child will need to purchase a £2 ticket which includes a Glo-stick, a chocolate treat and some face painted stripes on their face. Children are encouraged to come in fancy dress if they wish and of course if the adults wish to they can also come as their favourite character. At the end of the walk we invite everyone into Martlesham Playschool for some refreshments. Should you wish to purchase tickets please contact either playschool on the phone numbers listed. This event is open to everyone in the community and surrounding villages, and it is hoped to make this an annual event for all families to enjoy. Should you wish to find out about either of our settings please contact Martlesham (01473 625986) or Kesgrave (07746 907060) and any one of our staff will be happy to help. The Kesgrave setting in particular is continuing to grow in line with demand and therefore interested to hear from you if you hold a relevant childcare qualification and have experience with early years. We are open term time only but may be able to offer a variety of hours to suit, pay is dependent on the level of qualification and we encourage continuous training with a variety of courses. Charlotte, play manager. Martlesham Playschool: Gorseland School, Deben Avenue, Martlesham IP5 3QR / 01473 625986 Kesgrave Playschool: Millennium Jubilee Hall, Millennium Way, Kesgrave IP5 2EN / 07746 907060
HUMPTY DUMPTY PLAYGROUP Firstly, we would like to say a big thank you to Drew Goldie and Nick Williams from the East of England Ambulance Service for visiting the playgroup. The children all listened carefully while learning about keeping safe and to call 999 in an emergency. The children sat in the ambulance and tried on the safety helmets, and they each put their fingers into the pulse oximeter and watched their pulse rate on the monitor. By the time Drew and Nick left, all the teddy bears in the playgroup were covered in bandages! Secondly, a big thank you to all the children who dressed up for World Book Day, and to all parents, grandparents and friends who kindly donated money to the Crackerjack Children’s Trust. Together you helped us raise £70. Please follow us on Facebook where you can see the children engaged in play activities. We return for summer-term on Monday, April 11. We are registered for children from the age of two years onwards. Please feel free to come in and meet our friendly Early Years team and pick up a registration form, or for more details and to download a registration form, visit: http://tinyurl.com/hb9fpeq We are situated inside Kesgrave Community Centre, Twelve Acre Approach. Contact us on 07837 154081 during term time or manager Sally Cutts on 01473 625998.
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THREE BEARS PLAYGROUP Our garden has been restyled with a new brick vegetable planter, a border of grasses, new turf, a new playhouse and lots of new sheds. The children are now engaged in planting lots of vegetables ready for cooking activities and to eat for snack later in the term. Our fundraising group have been busy planning some exciting new events. On Friday, April 15 they are hosting a ladies pamper and shopping evening at Kesgrave Community Centre, 7-10pm. Tickets are £3.50 including a welcome drink of Prosecco. Fifteen minute mini treatments can be pre-booked with tickets which are available from Fiona on 07739 848910. Then on Friday, May 20 there will be a quiz ‘n’ chips evening at Seckford Golf Club. The price is £12 per person to include fish/sausage and chips. Teams of four, which should be booked through Fiona on 07739 848910. Our next admissions will be in September. Please complete a registration form now and return to the playgroup. Forms can be downloaded from www.threebearsplaygroup.org.uk, requested by emailing threebearsplaygroup@btconnect.com or collected from the playgroup on Wilkinson Drive.
MARTLESHAM HEATH BABY AND TODDLER GROUP Martlesham Heath Baby and Toddler Group is a small informal group run by mums. We meet every Wednesday and Friday morning from 9.30 to 11.30am at the Pavilion. Throughout the spring term we have organised a host of wonderful activities for your children to enjoy. We have lots planned for April, including our craft table on April 6 and 8 where your children can participate in a fun craft activity. We have our favourite photographer, Sadie from Big Fish Photography, visiting in May. She will take pictures of our sessions which will then be for sale to all our members. For every photo sold Sadie kindly makes a donation to our fundraising. Please support us if you can and thank you Sadie. We would love to see some new faces so if you’ve never visited us before, please come along and join us. We have plenty of tea, coffee and biscuits on a weekly basis we even have a sing song. We look forward to seeing you there. Contact us at mhbabyandtoddlergroup@yahoo.co.uk or find us on Facebook and Netmums.co.uk Bright Stars is open to all babies, toddlers and preschoolers to come along to with their parents, grandparents and/or carers. Each session is full of fun children’s activities, for example singing and Bible stories for children, plus crafts and games. We meet 10.30am on the second and fourth Mondays of each month during term time at St Michael’s Church Centre, Martlesham Heath IP5 3PL. The half hour sessions are free and are followed by refreshments and a chance to chat and play until approximately noon. Why not come and visit us? You are welcome to just turn up on the day at any of the sessions, but if you would like further information please give us a call. We look forward to welcoming you! Our session dates for the summer term are: April 11 and 25, May 9 and 23, June 13 and 27 and July 11. For further information please contact: Jennie Fidler, 07584 420729 Sonya & Maureen Burrows, 01473 625196 Sue Lambert, 01473 624130
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SPORT KESGRAVE CRICKET CLUB What a wonderful time of the year this is. The new cricket season is almost upon us and all cricketers, frustrated by six months of hibernation when the only cricket ‘fix’ available has been on TV, step out into the daylight to prepare for another summer of this wonderful game. Our colleagues at cricket clubs across the North of England, particularly Cumbria, Lancashire and Yorkshire, have not been afforded the luxury of rest over the winter months. Many clubs have been seriously affected by flooding and thousands of volunteers have been giving their spare time to clear up the mess. Thankfully here in East Anglia we have avoided the large scale damage of other areas, but some of our clubs have been badly affected too. We send our best wishes to all clubs battling to get damaged facilities ready for the new season. The players and members of KCC have been dusting down their kit, preparing the ground for play and taking the first tentative steps back to form at net practice. All is set fair for another enjoyable season at Twelve Acre Approach. If you want to get involved but haven’t done so yet, all is not lost – there’s still time. Whether young or senior, new to cricket or thinking about coming back to the game, we would love to hear from you. You can contact us via: www.kesgrave.play-cricket.com. You can also see the fixtures for our three senior teams on our website. Here’s how each team will start the 2016 season:
KESGRAVE KESTRELS FOOTBALL CLUB Our Saturday First Team continue to lead SIL Division 4 at the start of March with a four point lead over second placed Woolverstone United who have two games in hand. The team beat Woolverstone 3-1 at home at the end of February, but it will be a tight run to the end of the season with just five games to go. The Saturday Reserves beat Cedars Park in early March including a hat trick for Jake Debenham. The Sunday team have had no league fixtures since our last report but the Vets team have played twice, drawing 1-1 with Ipswich Park and losing 4-2 at home to Ipswich Valley Rangers. At youth level the Sunday U16s continue to lead Division 1 with four wins out of four in February and March, including a 3-2 victory over Stowupland in the cup semi-final; they will now face Thetford Town in the cup final in April. Our Saturday U17s face Walsham Le Willows in the semi-final of the Suffolk FA County Cup at the end of March. Our Under 16 Girls lost to AFC Kesgrave in the Suffolk FA County Cup semi-final at the end of February; a great experience for both teams to get that far and good luck to AFC Kesgrave in the final of that competition. Our next holiday football camp for four to 12-year-olds is running on Monday, April 4. This is open to club players and others alike. Following feedback from previous events this will be a one day event running from 8.30am to 4.30pm, but half day and short day options are also available. Please check our website for details of how to book. At the end of this season we will be looking to appoint a new secretary to support our adult section of the club. If you have the time available to support this growing section of the club we would like to hear from you and get you involved – please get in touch. For up-to-date team news and events please visit: www.kesgravekestrelsfc.co.uk David Hall, secretary, 01473 620562
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The 1st Team starts its Two Counties Division 5 campaign with three games at home. On Saturday, April 16 we welcome Harwich & Dovercourt to Twelve Acre Approach, followed by Eight Ash Green on April 23 and Great Bromley District on April 30. After missing out narrowly on promotion last year we hope to go one better in 2016. A new departure this year – to emphasise our focus on the Saturday league structure we now have a second Saturday team. The 2nd Team will start its Two Counties Division 9 East season with a short trip to St Margaret’s CC on April 30. The Sunday team begins its defence of the Suffolk Cricket Alliance title at home to Saxmundham on Sunday, May 1. For those of you who have been inspired by the ICC T20 World Cup over the last few weeks, the opportunity is at hand to have a go at the 20-over format. Our Midweek XI will once again play in the Ipswich Inter-Firm League, starting with a visit to Chantry Park to play Ipswich & East Suffolk CC on the evening of Tuesday, April 26. Do come along to support, take a look or just see what this odd cricket thing is all about. You will find a warm welcome at all our games. After several weeks of indoor practice our younger cricketers will start their outdoor season shortly – we will be revealing more in the next issue. Knight Watchman
IPSWICH RAVENS VOLLEYBALL After a slightly disappointing result in February’s sixa-side Indoor Series tournament, in March we were delighted to put in our best performance to date finishing overall third with three good wins out of four games. Being below only Norwich Towers and Diss, this meant we were the highest placed of all the Suffolk clubs – not bad for a club which started only two years ago! Our players are really gelling together well now and benefiting from some excellent support work behind the scenes by our coaches, who work with all players from the most experienced down to complete beginners. Later in Division 2 our second team put in another sound performance with two comfortable wins and two close defeats in the round robin. Division 2 continues to provide an ideal level of competition for our improving beginners where they can gain their first taste of tournament play, while being supported by players with more experience. And last but by no means least, we’re proud to say we have now started a Ravens ladies team. We have just played our first match which was a resounding 4-1 sets victory against SCC Seagulls. All but one of our ladies have joined the club within the last 12 months so it’s a great start and we’re hoping for much more to come. Why not give volleyball a try yourself? It’s a lively team sport, it will help with your fitness and coordination, and it’s a lot more fun than going to the gym! Ipswich Ravens hold club practise sessions every Saturday from 2-4pm at St Alban’s School, Rushmere. We are actively seeking new members and will welcome anyone, male or female, experienced or complete beginner and any age from 11 upwards. Qualified coaches run the sessions with a mixture of training drills and friendly games. If you are interested in joining this growing sport, visit www.ipswichravens.org.uk or call/text 07508 351875.
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SPORT / CHURCH NEWS IPSWICH WANDERERS FC The magnificent run by Ipswich Wanderers in the prestigious FA Vase is now over. The team lost 2-1 to Bowers & Pitsea in the fifth round replay. The match had to be moved to Canvey Island FC because of problems with the home side’s pitch. Glenn Read’s Wanderers came so close to making the quarter-final, but what a great run in the cups we have had this year!
Declaring God’s Way - Sharing His Love
Now the First Team get down to catching up with all the postponed league games. If we win our games in hand we will stand in sixth place. That would be a ‘best ever’ for Wanderers. So there is still plenty for the lads to play for. Come and cheer them on.
By the time this magazine pops through your door, it will be Easter weekend. As we celebrate this part of the church calendar some may wonder what it’s all about. From Palm Sunday to Easter Day we remember that Jesus died on the cross (Good Friday) and on the third day he rose again (Easter Sunday). We as a congregation at Rushmere Baptist Church are always ready to answer your questions.
Kevin Baker’s Under 18s are still in with a fighting chance of finishing top of the Youth League Central Division. They play at home on Tuesdays so come and give the young and aspiring Wanderers youths your support.
We are once again running an Alpha Course. The launch supper is on Thursday, March 31 at 7pm. For further details please contact Rob Foster: 01473 624373 / robfoster387@btinternet.com
Our postponed Partnership Day will be on Saturday, April 30, our final home game of this season. There will be a lunch and presentation in the new clubhouse for past, present and future sponsors and local business partners. If you or your business are interested in joining the Ipswich Wanderers Partnership, please get in touch (07734 321259) and come along on the day to find out more. You will have complimentary admission to the match with high-flying Godmanchester.
EASTER SERVICES
For all the latest club news visit: www.pitchero.com/clubs/ipswichwanderers
Thursday, March 24 Maundy Thursday Communion Service, 7.30pm Good Friday, April 25 United Service with Rushmere Christian Fellowship, 10.30am Easter Day Morning Worship with Communion led by The Rev Marsden, 10.45am Easter Reflection led by The Rev Marsden, 6.30pm Our usual services and events are as follows:
Home fixtures for April Saturday, April 2: League v Thetford Town (3pm) Wednesday, April 6: League v Felixstowe & Walton (7.45pm) Saturday, April 9: League v Fakenham Town (3pm) Wednesday, April 27: League v Hadleigh United (7.45pm) Saturday, April 30: League v Godmanchester Rovers (3pm)
Sunday Morning Service at 10.45am, crèche for the very young Friends of God (FOG) for age three to School Year 2 Mustard Seeds, School Years 3-6 The Tribe, School Years 7 and above Evening Service at 6.30pm
Admission to First Team games is £6 for adults, £3 concessions. Bar, refreshments, programme, golden goal, club shop, free car parking – entrance in Humber Doucy Lane, Rushmere.
Monday FFaF Children’s Club for school Years 3-6, 6.15-7.30pm
Keith Lloyd
KESGRAVE BOWLS CLUB The new season is nearly upon us. Hopefully everyone is looking forward to it with some good weather and some good bowling. The open day is Saturday, April 16 at 1.30pm with a drive for the Bob Adams Trophy. The pre-season meeting is on Wednesday, April 6, 6.45 for 7pm sharp in the bowls pavilion and hopefully all of our members and anyone who is interested in playing bowls will attend. The fixture list will then be available together with your membership cards. We had a very successful season in 2015 when two of our teams came top of their division and 25 of us attended the Ipswich & District Federation dinner on February 27 to collect our trophies and cheques. It was an excellent evening and I am sure all of us enjoyed ourselves. It will be quite a tough new season as one of our Monday teams is now in Division A. Hopefully we will all do our best for the club and the captain Jim McKay. One of our Wednesday evening teams will be in Division B for the new season so again in will be quite tough, but I am sure we will all do our best for the club and the captain Roy Fisher. We will have our open tournaments again, the first being on June 11 which is our charity open pairs tournament. Money raised this year will go to three charities: Chronic Fatigue, Air Ambulance and Blood Runners. We will also have our open triples tournament on August 28 and open pairs on September 10, both of which are being sponsored by Haart estate agents. Our sincere thanks to them for their support. Looking forward to seeing you all for the new season. Joyce, secretary, 01473 626075
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Wednesday Senior Citizens’ Friendship Hour, 2.30pm on the second Wednesday Art and Crafts Club, every Wednesday at 7pm Thursday
Luncheon Club at 12.30pm
Friday Prayer Meeting from 6.30-8pm at the church Saturday Meeting Point Coffee Morning, 10.30am-noon, on the fourth Saturday of each month Minister: The Rev Heather Marsden Secretary: Mrs Jean Cutting Church: 01473 721455 the
Spring is in the air and it’s time to get back into the great outdoors. We are looking forward to summer with all it brings in sunshine and church warmth but remembering those people living in less fortunate circumstances and loving those who feel unloved. Let’s help them back into a good life with our generous spirits. After all, as the Bible tells us, it’s in giving that we receive.
ARK
Join us on Sunday mornings at 11.30am (Café & Children’s Church at 10.30am), for Wednesday Bible Study at 8pm, Young People’s Night on alternate Fridays from 7.30pm and prayer sessions on Tuesdays and Thursdays, both am and pm. We also run Care For The Family courses dealing with parenting, pre-marriage and marriage. The Ark Church, Wolsey House, The Drift, Nacton Road, Ipswich IP3 9QR. Get in touch with us at www.arkipswich.co.uk / Facebook arkofthelord / Twitter @arkipswich / arkipswichuk@gmail.com Our monthly newsletter is available via free subscription on email.
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CHURCH NEWS Many talk of having a vocation or a call on their lives, to be doctors, teachers… However, all of us have a call on our lives only most of us don’t realise it.
One of the exciting things about being a Christian is that we know we have a call, but of course it takes time to discover what it is, which is an interesting journey in itself. We know that our call will bless others and at the same time bring us to the place of being fulfilled ourselves – it’s an exciting life. A Christian’s life was never meant to be dull and boring but filled with joy, sharing with others, being a good neighbour. New Life Community Church meets at 10.30am on Sunday mornings at Heath Primary School, Bell Lane, Kesgrave
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